KARACHI, Oct 24: The Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy has urged both the governments to move fast for joint rehabilitation efforts in the earthquake devastated areas on both sides of the border so that quick relief could be provided to the survivors.

In a joint statement issued by the secretaries general of Pakistani and Indian chapters of the peace forum, Anis Haroon and Tapan Bose, it was demanded that crossing of the Line of Control and free movement of relief goods should be allowed without any further delay.

They also demanded that the sanctity of air-space should be waived in the interest of providing aid and succour to the suffering humanity and stressed that all aid be accepted freely.

Kashmiri people on both sides be allowed to share, assess the damage and have a say in the reconstruction and that communities must be involved and women be consulted, the statement added.

It was demanded that opportunities be availed for redistribution of resources with special focus on the needs of the poor, particularly women and children.

The joint statement mentioned that the victims of earthquake on both sides of the LoC were suffering the horrors of unprecedented nature, first as human beings and later as Kashmiri, and the LoC had become a major hurdle in the possible mutual help, particularly emotional.

While the opening of telephone lines between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad had provided some relief to the divided families, but the formalities, regarding Gen Musharraf’s proposal to allow people to cross LoC, were taking a lot of time increasing the miseries of the calamity-stricken humanity.

It was stated that though the damage caused to human lives and property was colossal on the Pakistani side, millions had also been affected in Srinagar, Uri, Kamal Kot, and adjoining areas and it was the time that people were allowed not only to share the grief but also their struggle for survival. It is easier to reach and manage the relief work in difficult areas from the LoC rather than taking the detour of Wagah.

Indian government’s proposal to hold relief camps on both sides of LoC was a welcome move, but the need of the hour was to move quickly. Winter was closing in and “no amount of money could buy time for survivors” as had been warned by the UN coordinator for relief work in Pakistan, the statement added.